Final answer:
A typical Born-Haber cycle diagram is a graphical representation of a thermochemical cycle used to calculate the lattice energy of an ionic solid, which is performed in a series of steps according to Hess's law.
Step-by-step explanation:
A typical Born-Haber cycle diagram is a thermochemical cycle that describes the process in which an ionic solid is conceptually formed from its component elements in a stepwise manner. This cycle is named after scientists Max Born and Fritz Haber, who introduced the concept in 1919. The Born-Haber cycle is useful because it breaks down the formation of an ionic compound into individual steps, including the formation of gaseous ions from the elements, and culminates with the lattice energy of the solid, which although cannot be measured directly, can be calculated using Hess's law and the various energy changes associated with the cycle.
In essence, the Born-Haber cycle helps chemists understand the energy changes that occur during the formation of an ionic solid. These energy changes include ionization energy, electron affinity, and lattice energy, among others. Applying Hess's law and using experimentally determined enthalpies for other chemical processes allows for the indirect determination of lattice energies—a crucial aspect of studying ionic compounds.